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Borneo Trip 2016 – A flavour of what’s to come

Students started fundraising in June for a month-long trip of a lifetime to Borneo next summer. They will make the long haul flight to Malaysia next August to experience a different culture and carry out beneficial projects to local communities. The trip will finish with a five-day scuba diving course.

Comments from students who have been selected for this trip of a lifetime:-

Kelly said “I just like volunteering and helping out people. I feel like I need to give back to the world, as I have grown up in good living conditions.” Will said “It’s something completely different. I’ve never seen an opportunity like this before”.

During the October half term holiday, Mr Matanle, PE Teacher at the Academy and who will be accompanying the students on the trip in August 2016, went out on a reconnaissance visit. Mr Matanle said ‘On entering Borneo, I was slightly apprehensive on what to expect. You can read as many books or watch as many programmes as you like, but nothing prepares you like the real thing. The people of Borneo are so unbelievably friendly and the landscape that surrounds the country is stunning. The students will have the opportunity to make a real difference with a variety of project work from helping build a primary school, to reforestation in the jungle, our students will have the chance to help many communities in real need. During my visit I couldn’t help but notice how the country and its people have the ability to turn what we deem as 'rubbish' into functional buildings or tools.

The week was such a fantastic experience from the overnight stay in the jungle, to snorkelling on Gaya Island, to visiting the Orangutan sanctuary and seeing the sunrise on Mantanani Island. These experiences were life changing and I cannot wait to share them with our students.’